Thursday, September 3, 2009

SYTYCD - Top 15 Dances

There was a really great SYTYCD special on last night. The Top 15 dances from the five seasons of SYTYCD. Nigel hosted, and it was really great to see some of the dances he chose.

SEASON 1

Jamile and Destini Rogers – Hip Hop - I wouldn't necessarily classify this as one of the top 15 dances of all time. I guess it was a harmless way to start this show. There were quite a few dances from season 1 that I thought were better.

Nick Lazzarini and Melody Lacayanga – Broadway - I loved this routine when it was originally performed. It's kind of a Fosse ripoff, but I loved Nick and Melody, so I was willing to forgive. Can that Nick bust out a pirouette, or what?!

SEASON 2

Benji Schwimmer and Heidi Groskreutz – Black Mambo - This routine is AMAZING. I think it was part of the top 4 show that season. I just remember it being the end of the season. They didn't let Benji and Heidi dance together until the end, since they were cousins and had been ballroom partners for years. The drop at the beginning is fabulous. Love, love, love it.

Ivan Kournev and Allison Holker – Contemporary - I had forgotten about this one. I really loved Ivan and Allison and was very upset when Allison went home. Ivan is a hip hop dancer, for heaven's sake. It's a beautiful routine.

Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz – Contemporary (Bench Dance) I never tire of this one. The hand part when she's on the floor and he's on the bench. When she grabs the flower with her foot. When he collapses down the bench. I love it.

SEASON 3

Hok Konishi and Jaimie Goodwin – Contemporary (Humming Bird and the Flower) Go Wade Robson. This is a great routine as well. I love how he used their movement strengths to make this routine so beautiful. They both went home after performing this routine, as I recall. It was such a strong season.

Neil Haskell and Sabra Johnson – Contemporary (Boardroom) When BFF Dana and I went to the tour this year, we were very excited to see this dance in person. It's fantastic. So creative. Mandy Moore at her best.

Danny Tidwell and Lacey Schwimmer – Samba As I recall, this is Dana's favorite dance. Dmitry from season 2 choreographed it, and you can see Heidi assisting in the rehearsal package. It's a fun, intense, killer dance.

Pasha Kovalev and Lauren Gottleib – Hip Hop (Transformers) Not my favorite hip hop, but it's fun. It's classic Shane Sparks.

SEASON 4

Mark Kanemura and Courtney Galiano – Jazz (The Garden) — The beginning of my love/hate relationship with Sonja. I HATED this routine when I saw it the first few times. Now, I can appreciate it. But not my favorite, and wouldn't be in my top 15 of all time.

Mark Kanemura and Chelsie Hightower – Lyrical Hip Hop (Bleeding Love) - This is Super Kimmie's favorite dance. I can always watch this one too. Such great performances from both dancers.

Joshua Allen and Katee Shean – Contemporary - Of all the stellar Joshua/Katee performances from Season 4, they chose this one? This one? That's kind of ridiculous. It's a great routine, don't get me wrong. But the two of them did some amazing stuff that season and I'm a little disappointed a different routine wasn't chosen.

SEASON 5

Brandon Bryant and Janette Manrara – Disco - Favorite disco ever. Janette would have given Jeanine a run for her money if she'd made it further.

Kupono and Kayla Radomski – Contemporary (Addiction) Such a great combination of emotion, dance and music. It gives me chills every time.

Jason Glover and Jeanine Mason – Contemporary (If It Kills Me) I think they're dating. What do you think?

Nigel’s favorite of all time:

Ade Obayomi and Melissa Sandvig – Contemporary (This Woman’s Work)


What did you think? Were your favorites here? Which favorites of yours were missing?

Here's my favorite that was missing:

Neil & Lacey - Mia Michaels choreography. About Mia meeting her father in heaven. It makes me cry every time I see it.

5 comments:

Jo said...

I have a challenge for you. What happened to Sabra? They have never brought her back or talk about what she is doing now. I've tried to find out myself via the internet, but can't find a thing.

What do you say, want a little detective work?

Macy said...

From her Wikipedia article:
Post SYTYCD
Johnson on the February 2008 cover of movmnt magazine.

Johnson appeared on the February 2008 cover of movmnt magazine, with Danny Tidwell, as part of an article on "Keep It Real", a non-profit organization.

Since winning SYTYCD Johnson has made appearances as a performer and teacher at numerous events and workshops, appearing at charity events[5] as well as travelling to foreign locations such as Iceland (along with SYTYCD choreographers Dan Karaty and Shane Sparks, as well as Season 3 runner-up Danny Tidwell), Australia (alongside fellow Season 3 contestant Kameron Bink) and South Africa.

In 2008, Johnson was a pro dancer at the Dance Times Square Showcase benefit held on October 25. She was partnered with SYTYCD finalist Neil Haskell.

In 2009, Johnson began the year as the Special Guest Artist at the Merrimack Hall Second Annual Evening of Dance in Huntsville, Alabama. (SYTYCD Season 4 winner Joshua Allen taught a master hip-hop class there a few days later.) She later appeared at the St. Louis Auto Show and became a member of the Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet company in New York City.

Johnson seems not to have had much association with SYTYCD since her big win and has not been featured on the show since then, though it's not clear why.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabra_Johnson

And here's a video of her rehearsing with her new ballet company:
http://www.sytycdism.com/2009/04/spotted-sabra-johnson-in-cedar-lake.html

Any other assignments for me? ;)

Dana said...

I have an assignment: get me on SYTYCD! Wow, I can't even fold laundry when I already know all the dances. I was thrilled my trusty DVR got this show and it appeared magically for me last night. What a treat. I loved seeing the dances in their original performances, because they seem to lose steam the second time around - like the dancers know they HAVE to be good, and then aren't as much.

Stacie said...

I think it's so weird how Sabra has disappeared from the show. They never mention her or show what's she's doing now. But it looks like she's alive and well. :) Nice work Sherlock!

scooping it up said...

My favorite that I'd forgotten about was Dmitry's samba. It was fabulous. I wanted to be dancing it. I am kinda done with season 5 dancers. I don't know why but I was not as emotionally connected to them as in years past. It's weird I don't love the bench routine. I think Travis is rocking in it and blonde girl does nothing. It's not her fault she wasn't choreographed well, it is just an unbalanced number in my mind. I also was not a fan of Jeanine and Jason's bestfriend/ lover dance. I wish we could have seen adulterer/mistress one again. My favorite from season 4 was Imagine with Katee and Will. I wept in that one. And I agree with Dana, many times the first go around is more impactful. The emotion is more raw. Here comes season 6, I can't wait!!

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